Barcelona keeping close eye on star player after he picked up a knock last week - Reports
Barcelona are sweating about the fitness of their star striker Robert Lewandowski. The Polish forward suffered an injury during Poland's UEFA Nations League match against Scotland.
Barcelona's No. 9 is currently on international duty with Poland, who pulled off a dramatic last-minute win over Scotland. The Poles had taken a two-goal lead in the first half through Sebastian Szymanski's strike in the eighth minute and Lewandowski's penalty in the 44th minute.
Scotland halved the deficit a minute after the restart through Billy Gilmour before former Napoli midfielder Scott McTominay levelled the score. Nicola Zalewski scored from the spot in the seventh minute of stoppage time to hand Poland the win.
Zalewski took over penalty duties from Lewandowski after the 36-year-old had requested to be taken off in the 72nd minute. According to Mundo Deportivo, this alerted his club, Barcelona, who have been keeping tabs on the forward's fitness since then.
Lewandowski, however, calmed fears of a serious injury, telling the press after the match that he felt discomfort and went off to avoid aggravating the injury.
"I felt some discomfort, and then the pain set in. I realised that if I pushed through, it could lead to more severe issues in the future," the Poland captain said (via Barca Universal).
"For the sake of my health and the team, I decided it was best to leave the field. This season is going to be very demanding, with potentially up to 70 games ahead. It’s crucial to manage my strength and energy wisely," he explained.
Lewandowski's Poland take on Croatia in the Nations League on Sunday, September 8. With the striker facing discomfort, Barcelona will be eager to see if he takes to the field or is afforded a rest.
"Robert Lewandowski is a goal-getter" - Barcelona manager Hansi Flick
Barcelona manager Hansi Flick recently praised Lewandowski as a prolific goalscorer. The Blaugrana have made a perfect start to the season as they sit atop the La Liga table with 12 points in four matches.
They have already scored 13 goals this season with their Polish forward scoring four and setting up another. Flick was full of praise for Lewandowski, who turned 36 recently, after his brace against Valencia.
"Robert is an absolute professional player, working hard on his fitness, this body he has, it's not this age," said Flick to the press after the match (via ESPN).
"For me, when he is fit, when he is positive, it helps us a lot. He knows how to score goals and also when he is under pressure," he added. "But, at the end, this is a goal-getter, a striker who scores goals."
Barcelona will be hoping Lewandowski's injury is not serious with their squad already depleted after injuries to Fermin Lopez and Dani Olmo.